RESOURCE TEAM

Don Death

Drawing on more than 25 years of healthcare experience, Don developed Sterling INSOURCING as the cornerstone in a series of tools designed to bring a systematic approach to healthcare support services. He founded Sterling Services Group in 1994 to provide these options in response to the demand for quality improvement, cost control and staff satisfaction. Under Don's direction, Sterling has produced cost savings of more than $35 million and measurable service improvements for its clients. Don's previous experience as a member of the senior executive team for Marriott gained him a wide range of experience in support services. He has been involved with healthcare support services in the U.S. since 1980. This expertise enables him to provide custom solutions through performance-based partnering.

Raymond J. Taylor

Ray was founder and president of Housekeeping Management Specialists, a firm that had provided management consulting and technical assistance to internal housekeeping operations for healthcare, industrial, manufacturing, and power plant facilities since 1989. HMS became part of Sterling Services Group in 2005. With an innovative management support program, using the latest in technology and training techniques, Ray has served clients in New England, South East/Mid-Atlantic States, Ohio, and Quebec. He has extensive experience in environmental services operations, having worked in this field since 1961. His background experience involves both in-house and contract management settings. He is an experienced consultant in systems analysis, training, program implementation, and management support. Ray is responsible for creating the innovative patient room cleaning system now known as Sterling Room Optimization (SRO). Utilizing the very latest in technology, along with a customized training system, SRO produces the most up-to-date cleaning system available for in-house environmental services operations. This system has demonstrated improved infection control, increased productivity and higher patient satisfaction and quality outcomes in healthcare facilities.

Doug Cottingham

Doug came to Sterling Services Group with more than 30 years of experience in healthcare services. The experience that Doug has gained as a regional manager and a vice president in various healthcare organizations has prepared him for the responsibility of handling operations for all Sterling INSOURCING clients in the Western region and overseeing the implementation of Sterling INSOURCING and Sterling Room Optimization projects.

Jay Muckenthaler

Jay brought a variety of support service experience to Sterling when he joined our team in 1995. He was part of the environmental services management team at two hospitals for four years collectively. During the next eight years Jay gained in-depth knowledge of purchasing and costs associated with food service items as he worked with a national food service distributor. This experience provided him with the foundation necessary to assess support service operations from a financial perspective. Since joining the Sterling team, Jay has assisted our clients' support service departments by identifying problems, developing solutions, and helping staff and administration realize higher quality with lower cost. For Sterling, Jay has developed specialized software for conducting assessments, implemented a company network, and overseen associate computer education. Jay has a bachelor's degree in marketing from Emporia State University, Emporia, KS.

Doug Degen

Doug has more than 20 years of food service management experience ranging from healthcare and high-volume institutional feeding to retail and table service dining. He has implemented a room service program in a 300+ bed hospital achieving a 90% patient service satisfaction rating. Doug is experienced in designing operational flow, storage, inventory control, procurement and distribution systems along with the utilization of group purchasing programs. In addition, he has extensive daily operational experience along with a demonstrated ability to meet the requirements of the regulatory agencies.

Christine Butka

Before joining Sterling in 1997, Christine managed various support service departments and had been an area manager and employee trainer. During this time she conducted new-hire management training in technical and operations systems, conducted on-the-job training at five hospitals, coordinated employee and project schedules and oversaw department budget compliance. Her extensive background in customer service, regulatory, safety, and quality management training has given Christine the experience to oversee the implementation of INSOURCING and employee training for Sterling clients. Christine's expertise is also applied to the customization of department operations systems. She is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL.

Scott Nielsen

Scott's experience in the chemical production and distribution industry brings an added dimension in healthcare to Sterling. As a professional products division representative, his focus was in the areas of infection control and disinfectants for surgical settings. Scott has extensive experience in conducting in-service training at all levels of management in healthcare facilities. With this background, Scott adds a new dimension to the continual improvement and development of Sterling's offering to the healthcare industry.

Melissa Knapp

As Sterling's second employee, Melissa has had a wide range of responsibilities from sales, marketing and operational support to account management, and most recently, operational systems enhancement and development. Melissa designed an extensive training course for managers and supervisors of our clients. The eight-segment course is based on modules of the Sterling system, namely: Quality Management, Cost Management, Operations Management, Customer Service, Human Resources, Training, Safety, and Regulatory. Her bachelor's degree in communications enables Melissa to train employees effectively, which in turn, produces measurable quality improvements and cost reductions. The basis of Melissa's own operational experience was a training program, which was followed by three years as a support service department manager.

Lizzie Haag

Prior to joining Sterling Services Group, Lizzie worked in retail management, where she was accountable for the planned growth in sales and profit for two large volume areas. Her responsibilities included developing area-specific marketing plans and hiring and training new employees. As a trainer, Lizzie developed and implemented new customer service and sales tactics. With her background in customer service and marketing, Lizzie has the experience necessary to oversee the marketing plan, manage the set up process for new Sterling Readiness Rounds clients and help keep the office running smoothly. Lizzie has a bachelor's degree in communication from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Randy Merriman

Randy has 27 years experience in custom software development. His applications have primarily focused on quality and cost improvement through quantitative measurement. He possesses a unique combination of skills. Along with his programming abilities, he has first hand knowledge of the health care environment. During his 11 years in Clinical Engineering at an 800-bed health system, he served in both technical and management capacities. While there, he developed systems for medical equipment quality assurance, regulatory compliance, cost analysis and service management. He is knowledgeable in accreditation and regulatory compliance issues. He has served as JCAHO equipment management committee chairman and been responsible for compliance and regulatory reporting. Since joining Sterling in 1998, Randy has become the primary software developer for Sterling software products. He has been instrumental in the implementation and support of Sterling applications, including QY2K, Quality Check, Staffing Solutions and the flagship Readiness Rounds program. Randy has also been a valuable technical resource for custom client applications and system integration. Randy’s talents have been crucial in creating the software tools for real world implementation of Sterling’s quality and cost management concepts.

Herman Meier

Herman brings 20 years experience in healthcare in the area of environmental services and facilities management to Sterling. Herman was the director of environmental services for a 607-bed acute care hospital in the northwest. He was responsible for the leadership and direction of 160 employees, with a $4 million annual budget. He has been the director of facility operations, which included engineering, environmental services, linen, security, grounds and communication. He has extensive experience in Sterling systems, daily operations of departments, which included scheduling, training and purchasing capital equipment and supplies.

Marilyn Gilbertson

Marilyn has more than 25 years of management experience in housekeeping and laundry operations, primarily in the healthcare field - including hospitals and nursing homes, and in the contract-cleaning field. She has extensive experience in program development, customer service, employee development, quality improvement, cost management, and training/education. As a consultant, Marilyn has been a housekeeping technical expert in the development of a procedure manual, a quality assurance program, and computerized training programs for a national chemical manufacturer. Marilyn has a bachelor's degree in institutional housekeeping management from North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND.

Bruce Bonadies

Bruce has more than 30 years of healthcare food service and management experience. He was a member of the Marriott Healthcare Division Executive team for many years and has wide experience in operational and financial analysis of healthcare food service operations. He was a key player in the growth and management of Marriott's healthcare food service business and in the merger of the facilities and food service operations.

Karen Lalman

Karen comes to Sterling Services Group with extensive experience in customer service. She has 16 years of combined experience in retail management and purchasing. She was responsible for the growth in sales, purchasing of merchandise, and overall profit and loss of the company. Karen plays an integral role in the overall company financial management of Sterling Services Group. In addition to her current tasks of monitoring Quality Check, Karen handles payroll and benefits along with the responsibility for managing budget processes and producing monthly financial results and monitoring cash flow. Karen has a bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS.

Tara Forrer

Prior to joining Sterling Services Group, Tara was the Director of Clinical Nutrition Services for two healthcare facilities. Her past experience also includes the implementation and training of healthcare based software in various healthcare facilities around the United States. She has had extensive experience in project development and management, customer service, training and education. Tara is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian with a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics from the University of Northern Iowa.

Dale Clifton

Dale has more than 25 years of experience in healthcare support services: Environment Services, Food and Nutrition, Engineering, and Supply Chain management. Dale has played key roles as regional manager, system Vice President, and Consultant Organization Design. The outcomes from these roles have achieved cost savings of more than 30 million dollars with positive measurable outcomes. He has been involved with multi-health care systems in both the United States and Canada.

Kevin Kimble

Kevin has over 30 years of management experience, 13 in the health care field. He has had varied responsibilities and duties, but focuses on training and developing staff. Kevin has over 25 years of experience in this area. His main area of focus has been building a better workplace, developing teamwork and streamlining work processes.

Todd Cook

Todd joined Sterling Services Group to focus on the start-up of new Insourcing business as well as training in the Sterling Room Optimization process. Additionally, he has served as an interim Environmental Services Director during vacancies at various facilities. Todd has completed training on the urethane floor finish process as well as all Sterling floor care processes.

Kay Cook

Kay plays a major role in the Insourcing implementation process. She is trained on the urethane floor finish process as well as all Sterling floor care processes and has experience in hospitals across the country. Kay's plays an integral part in training employees in the Sterling Room Optimization process and ensuring the there is a smooth transition once Sterling Insourcing is rolled out.